Forward Partnership: A Sustainable American Strategy

Many commentators now contend that America's power is in relative or absolute decline. However, Declinists overstate their argument, as America has both a commanding amount of residual power and many enduring strengths. Decline, absolute or relative, is not predetermined. However, retaining our influence and preserving our ability to protect and advance U.S. interests does require addressing key shortfalls in strategic priorities to ensure synergies among the components of U.S. national power. A variety of strategies— particularly Offshore Balancing— have been offered to better balance ends, ways and means. These alternatives suffer from policy, historical and implementation challenges. A hybrid solution, Forward Partnering, avoids these deficiencies and is presented as an alternative grand strategy.